In a show of sheer dominance, Charles Leclerc from Ferrari set the pace in the second practice for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on Friday, highlighting the power of the iconic Italian outfit. The Monaco-born racer topped the charts with an unbeatable time of 1:16.439s, leaving his closest rival, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, trailing by 0.124s.
The Albert Park circuit was abuzz with activity on a sunny afternoon, as 19 out of 20 F1 drivers took to the track for the second practice session of the 2025 season. The sole exception was Haas’s Oliver Bearman, who had to sit out the action due to a crash in the first practice session (FP1). This allowed for an early forecast of the qualifying rounds, with drivers opting for soft tyre runs during the hour-long session.
Leclerc and Australia’s own Piastri led the pack, leaving room for Lando Norris, another championship contender, to clock the third-fastest time. Norris, who had the quickest time in FP1, was a mere 0.141s slower than Leclerc and just behind his teammate.
The Racing Bulls team continued to impress, improving their FP1 results of ninth and 11th to fourth and sixth in the second practice session, with Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar at the helm.
Lewis Hamilton, marking his first Grand Prix day as a Ferrari driver, secured the fifth fastest time, lagging four tenths behind his teammate Leclerc. The British driver is still finding his footing with the Italian team.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen seemed dissatisfied with his Red Bull RB21 during his qualifying simulation. Despite late adjustments to the setup, Verstappen remained in the seventh position, six tenths slower than the leading time.
Rounding out the top 10 were Nico Hulkenberg from Sauber, Lance Stroll from Aston Martin, and George Russell from Mercedes. Williams, despite having both cars in the top 10 in FP1, found themselves on the fringes in the second practice. Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon finished 11th and 12th respectively, suggesting that the Grove-based team could be among the midfield frontrunners.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso clocked the 13th fastest time, ahead of the Alpine duo of Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly. Inexperience seemed to weigh on Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull newcomer Liam Lawson, who struggled to clock strong laps, finishing 16th and 17th respectively.
Lawson, in particular, has some catching up to do, as he was six tenths slower than his teammate. The final timed racers were Gabriel Bortoleto from Sauber and Esteban Ocon from Haas, wrapping up a field spread of 1.5s.
In sum, the second practice session of the F1 Australian Grand Prix showed the prowess of Ferrari and the potential of young drivers. As the weekend unfolds, it will be interesting to see how these practice results play out in the actual race.
